Coffin-fastener



(No Model.) W. O. LANGENAU.

GOFFIN FASTENER. No. 418,675. Patented Oct. 29, 1889.

Wrmzsszs NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' WILLIAM "o. LANGENAU, on BROOKLYN, OHIO.

COFF|N- FASTENER.-

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 413,675, dated October29, 18 89.

Application filed June 17, 1889. Elerial No. 314,655. (No model.) i

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM G. LANGENAU, a resident of Brooklyn, inthecounty of Guyahoga and State of Ohio, a citizen of the United States,have invented a certain new and Improved Casket-Top Fastener; and I dohereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and completedescription thereof.

My improvement relates to means for securing the tops of burial-casketsto the lower or body part thereof; and the invention consists in thepeculiar construction of a fastener cation and accompanying top assecured to the casket.

whichenables one person to attach or remove the top to or from theburial-casket. By means of said fastener or lockthe tops are in everydirection securely held to the casket.

, That th e invention maybe fully understood, reference will be had tothe following specifidrawings, in which- Figure 1 is an inner or underside view of a burial-casket top provided with a fastener such as abovereferredto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of said top and side of thecasket, showing said top in a ready position 'to be secured to the bodyof the casket. Fig. 3 illustrates the Fig. 4 represents an enlargedlongitudinal vertical section of said fastener as attached to the casketand top thereof secured together. Fig. 5 is a transverse verticalsection of the same on line x 00, Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a partial faceview of the edge of the casket, showing parts of the fastener in viewand in section.

Like letters of reference refer to like parts in the drawings andspecification.

In addition to the fasteners'the top A is provided with guides, as shownin Fig. l. Preferably the guides and fasteners are attached oppositeeach other and near the ends of the top. It is, however, theconstruction of the fastener which constitutes the nature of thisinvention, with the guides shown to illustrate the conditions underwhich the fasteners are or can be employed.

The fastener substantially consists of the bolt B, loop 0, plate D,staple E, catch F, and spring G, Figs. 1 and 4. The bolt B is providedwith a flange a a on each side thereof for the purpose of securing thesame to the edge of the casket at each side, as shown.

In the edge of the casket-body are grooves,

a guide for the bar of the catch F, Figs. 4 and 5, Whereas the spring G,surrounding the bar of said catch F, holds it in such position as tocause an automatic engagement of the said catch and bolt when desired.By means of the pin 1) or other equivalent means the spring G iscompressed. When the loop 0 has passed far enough over the bolt B andthe catch is brought in contact with the inclined front end of the saidbolt, and as soon as the outer face of the catch is moved in line withthe notch c, the resiliendy of said spring then withdraws the catch pastsaid notch and locks the fastener, as seen in Figs. 4 and 5.

The upper end or bar g of the catch F projects through the top A, and isprovided with a thumb-piece e to render the depression of the catchconvenient for unlocking the fastener to remove the top.

For securing the top with the body part of the casket the said top isfirst placed upon the casket, as shown in Fig. 2, in which case theloops C are directly in front of the bolts B, the'cavities H allowingfree movement of said loops within the sides of the casket. The topbeing thus placed, as shown, then an engagement of the catch and bolt isresultant by simply pushing the lid in a'straight direction, asindicated by the arrow of Fig. 2. This engagement of the catches F withthe bolt B is seen in Figs. 3 and 4.

The tapering end of the bolts B and the flaring entrance f of the loops0 admit an easy connection of the bolt, loop, and catch, as shown inFigs. 4 and 6. The notches c and (Z hold the loop and catch securelylongitudinally, whereas vertically the loop and catch prevent adisplacement of the top. The catch F, being arranged in close proximityto the loop 0, is relieved from undue strain. Thus strength is combinedin a comparatively lightly-constructed fastener, which, with theexception of the thumb-piece, is entirelyhidden or secreted.

For disengagement of the fastener and removal of the top a slightpressure on the thumb-piece e and a pull of the top in direction of thearrow, Fig. 3, is required, and thus one person can easily manipulatethe removal of the top from the casket or replace the same.

The bolts B B and loops 0 C assist in preventing a lateral or verticalmovement of the lid upon or from the casket; but the longitudinalmovement is under control of the bolt B, loop 0, and catch F, attachedto the top and casket, as set forth.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

\VILLIAM C. LANGENAU.

\Vitnesses:

W. H. BURRIDGE, L. S. FIsH.

